The highly anticipated heavyweight fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium ended in a dramatic knockout, with Dubois retaining his IBF heavyweight title. The fight, originally scheduled for 12 rounds, was abruptly finished by the fifth round after Dubois knocked Joshua out with a clean right hand to the chin.
Dubois displayed his power early on, knocking Joshua down a total of four times before delivering the final blow that ended the fight. The packed Wembley Stadium, with a sellout crowd of 96,000, witnessed Joshua’s first loss in five fights as Dubois improved his record to 21-3.
Dubois will now get a shot at the winner of the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury fight, scheduled for December 21, further boosting his reputation in the heavyweight division. Joshua, on the other hand, has now fallen to 28-4 after facing his second major setback since his back-to-back losses to Usyk.
Fight Highlights
Round 1:
Both fighters started off fast, with Dubois being the more aggressive of the two. He connected with a powerful overhand right that sent Joshua to the canvas. Joshua managed to get back on his feet as the bell rang, but it was clear that Dubois had taken an early lead, with the round scored 10-8 in his favor.
Round 2:
Dubois continued to push forward, landing multiple hard shots. Joshua appeared in trouble, retreating to the ropes. However, Joshua showed some resilience, landing a few counter jabs before the round ended. The second round again favored Dubois, now up 20-17.
Round 3:
Joshua began to find his rhythm in the third round, throwing crisp jabs, but Dubois remained relentless. Toward the end of the round, Joshua hit the canvas for the second time, though he stood up to continue the fight. Dubois was still in control, leading 30-25.
Round 4:
The fourth round saw Joshua down again after a powerful right from Dubois. Although he made it to his feet once more, Dubois continued to press forward with powerful combinations. A low blow warning against Dubois briefly interrupted the action, but he maintained his dominance as Joshua struggled to keep up, with the score now 40-33.
Round 5:
Joshua attempted to fight back in the fifth round, landing a solid right hand that appeared to hurt Dubois. However, Dubois quickly recovered and unleashed a barrage of punches, knocking Joshua down again. The referee waved off the fight, declaring Daniel Dubois the winner by knockout.
Post-Fight Reactions
Speaking to DAZN after the fight, Anthony Joshua admitted that he faced a “sharp and fast opponent,” and acknowledged that several mistakes from his end contributed to the loss. Dubois, meanwhile, declared himself a “gladiator,” stating that his warrior spirit pushed him through to victory despite Joshua’s power.
With this victory, Daniel Dubois has solidified his standing in the heavyweight division and is now set for even bigger opportunities, with the possibility of facing either Usyk or Fury for more heavyweight gold.
Stay tuned to 9am News Nigeria for more Breaking News, Finance News, Sports updates And Entertainment Gists.
